exactly.
they have the 650 twin in a bike (the versys) that could be built into the ideal lightweight multi-cycl japanese adv bike w/ narrow FI motor, quality usd forks, spoked wheels & a proper routed muffler...ie the holy grail of adv bikes. YET they don't make it happen???

so close yet so far. no kawi does not listen to what's being said on the ground.

The V1000 should sell like hotcakes in Europe..will probably do OK stateside as well with the ageing baby boomers. I'm with you on the large parellel twin idea...I suppose that will remain a fantasy.

When the V1000 hits the states I will be taking a close look. I'm a big fan of the Versys, I've owned two. Lots of fun but not quite big enough for my needs. I would have preferred a large twin motor but since owning my GSX1250FA I've learned a 4 cylinder can be a torque monster and very tractable.

__________________
Cliff
No bike at the moment..
FPD Ret., USN Ret.
I was a Vietnam Veteran before it was popular.
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

__________________If a physical fact can produce a psychological state, a psychological state can produce a physical fact... The whole of creation is asleep within the deep of man and is awakened to objective existence by his subconscious assumptions.

As someone who has an inline four adv bike, they rule. I've taken it on single track, it's a little scary, but everything else it just rails. Rode downTo the eastern rendezvous and was laughing out loud in my helmet for the twisty road sections. Off road it lives to go fast. tight twisty off road stuff the weight starts to show however.

My bike is a little more focused than the versys which is intentionally broadly focused. I think they did a great job in not trying to outdo the ktm or bmw and made a great strom beater.

I love riding my fz1 hybrid because of the motor. Those that say an inline has no soul are foolish. My last two big bikes were a ducati 900 monster with termis and a 950 with pipes. Yeah those motors were sweet sounding but they just pale in comparison to the powr and ferocity of the r 1 plant.

I got tired of one bike that will do it all. They just can't. I take the dirt bike out for trails riding, the fz1 comes out for everything else street and dirt, and the cbr is going to be the hooligan machine. I don't have a touring bike currently as that just isn't in my plans.

I enjoy biking so much more with hyper focused machines. Imho.

However if I was forced to pick one bike I was give this new versys, the s10, & 990 a serious look. I do like what I see from the kwacker though

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We're not out here to rough it. We're here to smooth it. Things are rough enough in town.

On one at the Bike Show last week. Compared to the new Triumph Explorer its a feather weight. Sorry to hear our American cousins won't be getting it this year. Its sort of Adventure looking except for that tiny 17 incher up front. Wonder if the VStrom front wheel would fit like on the 650 Versys. Price here $13,999. which is good compared to my GS12. Jury is still out as to weather I'll keep the GS. This might be a nice replacement if it can handle gravel roads briskly. The Explorer was a disappointment.

I really like the idea of this bike, but...wow... is ugly just a part of the mix? It sure seems so with most of the adv-ish bikes. How hard would it have been to give it more of a "ninja 1000s with long legs" theme?

__________________Supermoto bikes exist so that 40 year old men who know better can act like total assholes.

I really like the idea of this bike, but...wow... is ugly just a part of the mix? It sure seems so with most of the adv-ish bikes. How hard would it have been to give it more of a "ninja 1000s with long legs" theme?

"Ugly" is a bit subjective.
I can't say it's beautiful the way it is, but it looks better to me then the
old/new Versys 650, and it would look horrible with the Ninja 1000 styling,
again - to me.

I really like the idea of this bike, but...wow... is ugly just a part of the mix? It sure seems so with most of the adv-ish bikes. How hard would it have been to give it more of a "ninja 1000s with long legs" theme?

I don't know about ugly, I kind of like the way it looks. However, I would have done something different with the headlight as I've never been a fan of vertically stacked designs.

I think they've done a smart thing if people realize this is actually the bike they need for most use - that being 10 - 20% gravel. Let's face it, most GS and that ilk are used as touring bikes on hard surfaces or good gravel. I'm trying to like the looks, but think that if I painted the tank and that bulbous lump of "fairing" the same colour - like black - it would suddenly look a whole lot better. If you have a wart, do you draw a bulls-eye around it? Kawasaki did... The price seems fair for the amount of electronics on it - I'm cross shopping a V-Strom 1000, but no ABS or traction control, etc.